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Randolph points finger at Schweini, but admits we’d do the same

Bastian Schweinsteiger ruined Darren Randolph’s weekend, but the goalkeeper would not mind his West Ham team-mates taking a similar route to Wembley.

Sunday looked set to be one of the most memorable days in the east Londoners’ recent history, with Dimitri Payet’s exceptional free-kick setting them on course for an FA Cup semi-final with Everton.

However, Anthony Martial saved Manchester United by levelling from an acute angle late on, securing a 1-1 draw to take the quarter-final to a replay.

United were aggrieved that Payet was still on the field having felt he should have received a second booking for diving, but the visitors felt hard done by as well after goalkeeper Randolph’s route to the ball was blocked by substitute Schweinsteiger for Martial’s goal.

The German may have had a nudge from Michail Antonio beforehand, but Randolph said with a smile: “It was a nice shoulder.

“I didn’t have much to do but in these games you need everyone to be on top form, which they were (on Sunday), but we couldn’t hang on to the 1-0 and go through.

“Yeah, it does (ruin your day) because he has not gone for the ball. He just wants to obstruct me and it worked.

“I would hope that my team-mates would do the same and hopefully get away with it.”

The replay will be the final cup tie at Upton Park before the Hammers’ summer move to the Olympic Stadium.

“If we get the right result it will be a great way to leave the Boleyn Ground in terms of FA Cup matches,” Randolph said.

“The atmosphere will be brilliant, as it was against Liverpool and Tottenham in the league, so we have a great chance.

“(We can win) definitely. We are at home, we will have the crowd behind us. I don’t know if many teams like going there so we will be up for the fight again.”

Randolph is hoping to get the nod again ahead of Adrian, although he is more than happy for the Spaniard to spend more time facing Payet during training sessions.

The Frenchman was the last outfield player to leave the warm-up as he was practising his free-kicks at Old Trafford, where his goal would have even impressed disgruntled home fans.

“When he gets it right, you have no chance,” Randolph said of Payet. “As you have seen, it is going to take something special to beat (David) de Gea and it was.

“I haven’t even asked him (about his technique). If I did, I would ask him to try and teach me.

“He is just technically brilliant, as we have all seen time and time again this season.”